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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Neptune Basin is an architectural and landscaped element located in the property known as Le Grand-Jardin, south of the town of Bourg-Saint-Andéol, in the department of Ardèche. Dating from the 17th century, this basin is part of the tradition of the ornamental gardens of the Baroque period, where water and sculptures played a central role in the staging of power and domesticated nature. Its classification as Historic Monument by decree of 5 August 1932 underlines its heritage importance, although the available archives do not specify its sponsor or architect.

The location of the basin, close to the city centre but in a space today called Grand-Jardin, suggests an aesthetic and symbolic vocation. In modern times, gardens of this type often served as a framework for receptions or walks for local elites, reflecting the taste for hydraulic and mythological arrangements, as the name Neptune shows. The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, then integrated into the Kingdom of France, saw the development of many similar projects, linked to the development of aristocratic or bourgeois secondary residences.

Available sources, including the Merimée and Monumentum base, indicate that the basin is still visible at approximately 15 Rue des Horts, although its access and current condition are not detailed. The accuracy of its location is considered satisfactory (note 7/10), and a photograph licensed under Creative Commons (Celeda) attests to its presence. No historical character or specific event is associated with this monument in the documents consulted, except its legal protection in 1932.

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